Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frances Margery CHENNELL was born on the 26th of August 1891 in Nth Adelaide, SA – the daughter of John Augustus CHENNELL and Bessie Young KEKWICK, who married on the 21/12/1887 at St Agnes Church, The Grange, Pt Adelaide.
John died on the 30/12/1898 at Adelaide, aged 46. Bessie (aged 43) remarried to Henry FERGUSON on the 5/2/1910 at St Mary Magdalene Church, Adelaide.

Siblings: Bessie b.&d.13/12/1888 Nth Adelaide; Kenneth Payne b.16/1/1890 Nth Adelaide – d.19/2/1893, age 3

Religion: Baptist
Educated at St Scholastica’s College, Mount Barker, SA
Trained in nursing at Sydney Hospital, passing her final exam with the Australian Trained Nurses’ Association in September 1915

WW1 Service:
Margery as she was known, enlisted in Sydney on the 2/12/1916 and embarked on the No.2 HS Kanonwa 21/3/1917 – arriving Suez 1/5/17.
She joined the 14th Australian General Hospital (AGH), Abbassia on the 2/5/1917 – transferred to 27th General Hospital, Abbassia 11/7/17 – rejoined 14th AGH 17/9/17 – transferred to A.D.M.S. Cairo 21/5/1918 – embarked at Alexandria on the Indarra for Marseilles 26/5/18. Disembarked Southampton from France 7/6/18 and attached to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital (AAH) Harefield for duty.
Sick to Southwell Gardens, the Hospital for sick Australian Sisters from the 19/6/18 to the 2/7/18 – rejoined 1st AAH 3/7/18 – until discharged on account of marriage 25/7/18.

Margery married Dr Donald Ian Robertson SMITH (Capt, AAMC) on the 25th of July 1918 at the Harefield Parish Church, England. They had both worked at Sydney Hospital before Donald enlisted and wouldn’t have seen each other again until just before their marriage.

Following a honeymoon in Scotland and Donald’s return to duty, Margery stayed in England where she gave birth to their first child.
Together with their baby son, the couple returned to Australia on the HT Katoomba, embarking 8/8/1919.

Children (3):
1. Donald Brian Chennell b.1/5/1919 London – WW2, RAN 1941-1958 – marr Shirley Valmai WALLIS (WAAF) 23/6/1943 NSW – address on discharge Chennell House, St George’s Tce, Perth. Articled Law Clerk
Died 14/2/1985 in Greenmount, WA, aged 65 and cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.
2. Malcolm Chennell b.1/6/1922 Perth – WW2, RAN 1942-1946 – d.10/7/2017 Claremont, WA and cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.
3. Robin Chennell b.1926 Perth – married Dwyer NEVILLE 13/8/1949 at St Mary’s Church, West Perth – died 5/11/2007 Ellenbrook, WA, aged 81 and cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Residents of Perth from 1919:
*72 King’s Park Rd, West Perth – 1925, 1931, 1936
*Donald gives address in 1927 as Merthyr House, St George’s Terrace, W Perth
*In 1930 Donald had a new 5 storey building erected in St George’s Terrace which was to be used as modern medical chambers, and named Chennell House
*St George’s Terrace, West Perth 1943

Donald died of a heart attack on the 3/1/1947 at Chennell House, Perth, aged 55 – he was cremated 6/1/47 at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Margery was living at 43 Hensman Rd, Subiaco 1949; 74 Thomas St, West Perth 1954 (with her son Brian)

Margery died on the 13th of January 1969 in West Perth, aged 77 and was cremated at the Karrakatta Cemetery.

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From The Kia Ora Coo-ee, June 1918:
“Sister F.M. Chennell, A.A.N.S., (14th AGH), has embarked for England, where, it is understood, she is to be married to an Australian Medical Officer.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 14 Oct 1918 (p.4):
WEDDING
On July 25 last a wedding was celebrated at the picturesque parish church, Harefield, England, the bride being Sister Margery Chennell, AMC, late of Sydney Hospital, only daughter of the late J.A. Chennell, Adelaide, and Mrs Harry Ferguson, North Sydney, and the bridegroom Captain Donald Ian Robertson Smith, AMC, AIF, eldest son of Major and Mrs Donald Smith, North Sydney. The bride has been on active service in Egypt, and was recently transferred to Harefield Hospital, England. The bridegroom has been on active service in France for two years past. Mr David Fell (uncle of the bridegroom) gave the bride away. Captain Fred Forster (Army Dental Corps) acted as best man. Matron Carpenter, AMC, late Wimmereux Hospital, France, entertained the guests, numbering over a hundred staff nurses and patients, at afternoon tea. The honeymoon was spent in Scotland. The bridegroom having returned to duty at the front the bride has made her home with Mrs Critchley, Queensland, Bielericay, Essex, England.

The West Australian, Mon 6 Jan 1947:
DEATHS
SMITH – On January 3, 1947, suddenly at Perth, Donald Ian Robertson, dearly loved husband of Margery and loved father of Brian, Malcolm and Robin.
FUNERAL NOTICES
SMITH – The Friends of the late Dr Donald Smith of Chennell House, 260 St George’s-terrace, Perth, are respectfully informed that a Presbyterian Service will be held in the Crematorium Chapel, Karrakatta, at 4.30 o’clock THIS (Monday) AFTERNOON. The Cortege will move from our Chapel, Hay-street, Perth, at 4.10 o’clock. Donald J Chipper & Son.

X-RAY PIONEER
Death of Dr Donald Smith
Dr Donald Smith, a pioneer in radiological work in this State, died at his residence at Chennell House, St George’s-terrace, Perth, at midnight on Friday as the result of a heart attack. He practiced up to the time of his death although he had been in indifferent health for several years. His remains will be cremated today. He is survived by his widow, two sons and a daughter.
The late Dr Smith was born in Sydney in 1892 and received his early education at the North Sydney Grammar School. In 1908 he attended the Medical School at the Sydney University, graduating at the age of 21. After a period as assistant superintendent at the Sydney Hospital he joined the A.A.M.C. in 1915 with the rank of captain. He served in France and later England, where he gained extensive radiological experience. He married Frances Margery Chennell, an Australian nursing sister, in London in 1918 and returned to Australia later that year, spending a short time in Sydney before taking up residence in Perth, where he established the first qualified radiological practice in this State. In 1930 he lost a leg largely as a result of his pioneer radiological work. He had been the president and treasurer of the British Medical Association in this State.
He was interested in musical comedy production and was chorus master and later principal comedian for the Concert Artists’ Society of W.A. On one occasion he was approached by Sir Benjamin Fuller with a view to his appearance in musical comedy in a professional capacity. This offer was declined.